Making art is my way of responding to the environment and acting on creative impulses. Whether or not we are observant of the nuances of our surroundings, we are impacted in a myriad of ways. I have always been keenly aware of how color, form, pattern and scale impact my sense of self and sense of place. In my work I am essentially using these visual elements to express a state of mind, capture a feeling, or create my own “environment”.

I choose to work predominantly with non-representational imagery that does not carry preconceived associations. This allows the focus to be on what intrigues me most – our responses to the most fundamental visual elements. When recognizable imagery effectively expresses my intent I'll use it as a kind of visual cue. The materials I use include acrylic paint, oil pigment sticks, ink, photographs, beeswax, scraps of paper and found objects.

For inspiration I draw from both internal and external sources: feeling stagnated is a terrific motivator. I'm frequently inspired by sensory stimulation (noticing an engaging color relationship, for example) and feeling compelled to act on it. Invariably, the end result embodies not only the emotions, state of mind and observations that sparked it, but the unforeseen by-products of the creative process.